RSS

Category Archives: English

CORPORATE DELUSION, OIL SPILLS WRECKING OCEANS, COMMUNITIES, LIVES AND TRANSOCEAN’S IRRESPONSIBLE SPIN

02 Apr

It has to be said when flipping through the WSJ’s “What’s News” section (always the best read…), that Transocean appear to have a case of corporate amnesia.

The WSJ writes “Transocean claimed the “best year in safety performance” in its history, despite the deadly explosion of its Deepwater Horizon rig.” You know… that oil slick issue, that took 11 lives. Anyway go here to read their spin. The article reads like coastal irresponsibility of titanic proportions, but hey… it’s the weekend. No one’s reading. This companies PR team, should take up creative writing. I mean… really!

In case we’ve forgotten what the word safety means, as we can be quite liberal with words and their meaning to suit our corporate selves, here in the USA, the word safety dates back to 1200AD from the word sauvete. It means:

–noun, plural -ties.

1. the state of being safe; freedom from the occurrence or risk of injury, danger, or loss. Read the rest of this entry »
 
Leave a comment

Posted by horiwood on April 2, 2011 in Corporate America, Deception, Delusion, Eco-Friendly, English, Florida, Kevin Costner, New Orleans, Not Funny, Safety, Think Green

 

NEW WORDS ADDED TO THE OXFORD ENGLISH DICTIONARY, MARCH 2011

26 Mar

The Oxford English Dictionary has added more words this year to their growing collection of 600,000 already catalogued. When you think about it, words grow big IT companies like facebook, google, twitter, baidu, etc. Words are the modern currency of IT growth.

Some words added to the OED this year include, banh mi (a Vietnamese baguette-style sandwich), kleftiko (a Greek dish of slow-cooked lamb) and flat white (a Kiwi coffee also available in Australia in which foamed milk is poured over an espresso).

ICYDN, a dot-bomb is a failed internet company, while adotted line describes an indirect reporting relationship.

Slang expressions continue to be popular to update the English language’s most popular dictionary. These include, muffin top (a protuberance of flesh above the waistband of a pair of trousers), on the lash (engaged in a bout of drinking), cream-crackered (knackered, as in exhausted), fnarr fnarr (a lecherous snigger) and smack talk (boastful or insulting banter like the boys of hip hop music in the USA are famed for as their banter).

OMG (oh my God), LOL (laughing out loud), FYI (for your information), TMI (too much information), IMHO (in my humble opinion) and BFF (best friends forever) and the annoying one of wassup are also added this March.

Slouching Towards that Cham blog writes, new words always accompany a new order. For example, William Shakespeare is ‘thought to have added over 1,500 common words to the English language such as assassination, auspicious, bloody, fitful, invulnerable, obscene, road and suspicious were first used by the Bard. Not to mention expressions like ‘brave new world’ (The Tempest), ‘for goodness’ sake’ (Henry VIII), ‘hoist with his own petard’ (Hamlet), ‘star-crossed lovers’ (Romeo and Juliet), ‘pound of flesh’ (The Merchant of Venice) and ‘what the dickens’ (The Merry Wives of Windsor). Read the rest of this entry »

 
Leave a comment

Posted by horiwood on March 26, 2011 in Commonwealth, Community, English, UK, Words

 

SOME WITI IHIMAERA POETRY – OH NUMI TUTELAR – FROM HOLLYWOOD 2.23.11

24 Feb

Oh Numi Tutelar

(At the British Museum, London, 25 June 1998)

3 in the morning
The streets deserted I had forgotten
only derelicts & prostitutes are abroad in the night
forsaken lovers locked out
(and Maori attending dawn ceremonies)

Make way, Britannia, Albion, Victoria Imperatrix,
make way our putatara are braying to bring down
your walls The dawn is coming and with it
Magi, gift bearers from the South

Piki mai, kake mai, homai te wai ora
ki ahau

We have come
from the utmost ends of the earth a tribe of travellers
with our own Queen, ministers & warrior escort
to the land of our Treaty partner where
our treasures have been plundered
(and Roma & I halfway round the world
to read in a stairwell)

Make way, O Egypt, ancient Assyria, Greece, Rome
make way our own Cleopatra comes amid you
Semiramis, Te Arikinui, Imperatrix of Aotearoa
Maori women, gift bearers from the South

Haramai te toki, hui e, haumi e, taiki e

So here we are
climbing upward     the Museum opening unwilling
to the dawn, the kai karanga calling, the warriors
pulling us in & Maramena asks, ìHow can our
culture so small survive in this treasure house
of many cultures?î
(The answer is simple: Godzilla was wrong
size does not matter)

Oh antiquities of Asia, make way, lions of Judah
bow down, Babylon, stela of Islam make way
give space, Oh Nimrod, Horus, Mahomet
we are iwi Maori, gift bearers from the South

E taonga tū mai, tū mai, tū mai

And in the great hall
for the first time we see the past before us
the treasures of our ancestors a Pharaonic ransom
of immense psychic power, indeed we live
with our past the ghosts among us
(How can I explain? We have always walked
backwards into our future)

Oh, ancestors, stand forever! Stand for yesterday!
Stand for today! Stand for tomorrow! Stand
for always! Stand! Stand! Stand!

Take heed, O Gods of all other worlds, numi tutelar
We come chanting, we come singing, we come
proudly from Rangiātea, there our seed was sown
We come, still voyaging by star canoes
by aurora australis

We are from savage islands, far to the south
we move through your constellations
make way and where there is one
oh Gods, there are a thousand

We are Magi, bearing gifts
and our dawn is coming

Ka Ao, ka Ao, ka awatea


 

 

 

 

 

~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 2.22.11. First published in Whetu Moana (An Ocean of Stars) – Contemporary Polynesian Poetry in English. Auckland University Press, April 2003, editors Albert Wendt (editor), Reina Whaitiri (editor) and Robert Sullivan (editor). Keisha Castle Hughes appears courtesy of the Whalerider film, via Celebrity Wonder~

 
Leave a comment

Posted by horiwood on February 24, 2011 in Albert Wendt, Aotearoa New Zealand, Art, artist, Books, Cultural Imperialism, Culture, Egypt, English, Fiji, Film Franchises, Greece, Hollywood Entertainment News, Hollywood History, Hollywood Maori Kings, Hollywood Today, Hori = Maori, Italy, Kaitiaki - The Action Movie Film Franchise, Kaitiakitanga, Keisha Castle Hughes, Literary, Maori, Oscars, Poetry, Polynesian, Reina Whaitiri, Robert Sullivan, Samoa, Star System - The Art of American Celebrity, Star Wars, Superpowers discourse and direction, Te Reo Rangatira, Te Whanau-a-Apanui, Tikanga Maori, UK, Witi Ihimaera, Women, World History, World News, World Peace, Wrestling, Writers

 

HOLLYWOOD TIKANGA – THE WAY OF THE WISE BRINGS PEACE – THE BRONAAKI OF US – 2.17.11

18 Feb

אַף־אַ֭תָּה תָּפֵ֣ר יִרְאָ֑ה וְתִגְרַ֥ע שִׂ֝יחָ֗ה לִפְנֵי־אֵֽל׃

Ko te arero reka he rakau no te ora; tena ki te wanoke a roto he wawahi wairua.

The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, don’t crush the spirit.

He tangata ano ko ana korero maka noa, me te mea ko nga werohanga a te hoari;

he rongoa ia te arero o te hunga whakaaro nui.

מוּסַ֣ר מְלָכִ֣ים פִּתֵּ֑חַ וַיֶּאְסֹ֥ר אֵ֝זֹ֗ור בְּמָתְנֵיהֶֽם׃

Reckless words are as the piercings of a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

~Bronaaki is the collective brotherhood of Manaakitanga’s rich cultural values as epitomized in the prayerful and mindful spirit of Bronagh Key of Helensville and her people of Aotearoa New Zealand.

The words of King Solomon – son of King David – The Psalmist Warrior King, history’s wisest King on Earth as posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 2.17.11~

 

 
Leave a comment

Posted by horiwood on February 18, 2011 in America, Art, artist, Bronaaki, Bronagh Key, Culture, English, Health Care, Hebrew, Helensville, Heritage Arts & Culture, Hollywood Maori Kings, Hollywood Today, King Solomon, New Zealand, Pop Art, Pop Cultural Commentary, Spirit, Superpowers discourse and direction, Te Reo Rangatira, Tui of Helensville, Tukutuku panel, Wisdom, Wisdoms Buffet, Women, Words, World History, World News, World Peace, Writers

 

ANCIENT PROVERB – 1000 DAYS

14 Feb

כִּ֤י אֶ֪לֶף שָׁנִ֡ים בְּֽעֵינֶ֗יךָ כְּיֹ֣ום אֶ֭תְמֹול כִּ֣י יַעֲבֹ֑ר וְאַשְׁמוּרָ֥ה בַלָּֽיְלָה׃

Ki tau titiro hoki, he rite nga tau kotahi mano ki te ra onanahi, kua pahure atu nei, ki te mataaratanga hoki i te po.

For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.

[Photograph - Oneone via National Geographic]

~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 2.14.11~

 
Leave a comment

Posted by horiwood on February 14, 2011 in English, Hebrew, Philosophy, Spirit, Te Reo Rangatira, Water, World History

 

STRIKING THE ROCK OF APATHY – CLEAN DRINKING WATER FOR ALL KIDS OF THE WORLD

27 Dec

Sometimes I feel like a waterfall in West Hollywood, that just won’t stop. Where the water comes from within the spirit that feels dry, jaded, tired on grey winters days, ironically on days when it pours with rain – I don’t know.

One thing I do know, is that 2 million innocent children, die each year in our world, on our watch, regardless of what flags we wave above our heads, or what parades we have under them for whatever reasons to gratify our own sense of worth and identity. While our flags flap around in the wind, the lives of these children do too and many die because they don’t have access to clean drinking water. They get sick, their lives and their potential in this world are cut short.

Sometimes I wish, that people who are told and even say themselves that they are Kings & Queens would rise up like the legend of Moses in a dry desert, and take the wooden staff of their generation’s destiny and dare to strike the rock of greed, of apathy, or blindness, of entitlement, of nationalism, of hatred, of extreme and costly ‘paper gangsta’ capitalism, of those attitudes of detachment masked in those nonhuman words ‘that’s them and not us,’ of leader’s pride, human blind spots and prejudices; and our own too judging these leaders who are at best, mirrors of ourselves that we elected in many cases (or, the flip side too of letting go of the paralyzing and crippling fear of extreme loss and grief that inevitably follows in that degree of sudden loss too, it’s all the same constructed coin)–and these royals of the earth would say “enough, let these children go free” and cause water to flow to children they don’t know, whose parents they’ve never seen, whose dreams are more real than us at times or our bank balance or the figure we are told of our paper worth or lack of, or the excitement in our allocated and imagined carbon credit worth too. We are so green thinking these days!

[Excuse the Kerouac-esque lack of punctuating all proper, in that last paragraph].

Then I realise, sh*t, these Kings and Queens are on this blog everyday. They’re you and on a good day – I could be in your good company too. On a good day. Giving the gift of water to someone else is perhaps the most powerful thing we can do in the 2010′s. One of the true signs we have actually evolved with all of enjoyment and claims of new technology et al that have radically changed our lives. Giving water and saying to someone else, “I love you and you are much loved” are two simple yet vital things we can do each day.

Read the rest of this entry »

 
1 Comment

Posted by horiwood on December 27, 2010 in E.J Montoya, Earth, Ebonics, Eco-Friendly, Economy, Ed Westwicke, Eddie Cibrian, Eddie Murphy, Education, Elephants, Elie Wiesel, Elisha Cuthbert, Eliza Dushku, Elizabeth Gilbert, Elizabeth Moss, Elle McPherson, Ellen, Elvis, Eminem, Emma Roberts, Emma Stone, Emma Watson, Emmy Rossum, Emmys, Employment, Engagements, English, Entertainment Celebrity News, Entertainment Distribution, Entertainment News, Entourage, Equality, Eric Clapton, Eric Hannah, Espanol, Estelle, Ethan Hawke, Etta James, Eurovision, Eva Longoria, Eva Mendes, Evan Rachel Wood, Evermore, Ewan McGregor, Miss Elliette, Missy Elliot, Moses, Q'orianka Kilcher, Q'orianker Kilcher, Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Latifah, Queenstown, Quentin Tarantino, Quincy Jones, Quote of The Day, Water, World History, World News, World Peace, Young Hollywood, Young Royals

 

PRAY – JUSTIN BIEBER MUSIC VIDEO PREMIERE

27 Nov

He Waiata Karakia Mo Te Ao a Justin Bieber

Baruch atah adonai eloheinu melech ha’olam she’asah
nisim la’avoteinu bayamim haheim baz’man hazeh.

Click on image to watch JB’s world premiere of Pray Music Video.

“Wrote this song thinking of Michael Jackson‘s Man in the Mirror and we are donating a portion of the proceeds from every album sold to CHILDREN’s MIRACLE NETWORK HOSPITALS.”

Justin Bieber premieres his new music video for the timely song, Pray. This performance from the American Music Awards recently here in California.

[Image: Candles of remembrance burning brightly at The Holy Trinity Anglican Church at Greymouth, New Zealand after a service remembering the 29 lost miners and providing solace for grieving precious families and friends of these lost lads. Photo Mark Mitchell].

Lyrics:

Ohh Ohh Ohh .. and I pray
I just cant sleep tonight
Knowing that things ain’t right
Its in the papers, its on the tv, its everywhere that I go
Children are crying
Soldiers are dying
Some people don’t have a home
But I know there’s sunshine behind that rain
I know there’s good times behind that pain, hey
Can you tell me how I can make a change
I close my eyes and I can see a better day
I close my eyes and pray
I close my eyes and I can see a better day
I close my eyes and pray

I lose my appetite, knowing kids starve tonight
Am I a sinner, cause my dinner is still on my plate
Ooo I got a vision, to make a difference
And its starting today

Cause I know there’s sunshine behind that rain
I know there’s good times behind that pain, hey

Heaven tell me how I can make a change
I close my eyes and I can see a better day
I close my eyes and pray
I close my eyes and I can see a better day

I close my eyes and pray
For the broken-hearted
I pray for the life not started
I pray for all the ones not breathing
I pray for all the souls in need.
I pray. Can you give em one today.
I just cant sleep tonight
Can someone tell how to make a change?

I close my eyes and I can see a better day
I close my eyes and pray
I close my eyes and I can see a better day
I close my eyes and I pray

I pray …

I close my eyes and pray

ENDS.

Baruch atah adonai eloheinu melech ha’olam asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu l’hadlik neir shel Chanukah.

[This image: Chanukah "Festival of Lights" ornaments and Christmas season lighting, Little Russia - West Hollywood California USA. Photographed 2 minutes ago from my place].

~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 11.27.10~

 
3 Comments

Posted by horiwood on November 27, 2010 in America, Art, artist, California, Canada, Community, English, iPray, Israel, Music Industry News, Music Videos, New Zealand, Russia, Scotland, Song Lyrics, South Africa, Spirit, UK, West Hollywood

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,